DHS Offers $1,000 Stipend and Free Flights via CBP Home App for Illegal Immigrants to Self-Deport, Saving 70%

The Trump administration has introduced a new initiative aimed at encouraging illegal immigrants to self-deport from the United States. Under this program, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is offering financial incentives, including a $1,000 stipend and the cost of a commercial flight back to their home country, to those who choose to leave voluntarily. This move is part of a broader strategy to reduce the costs associated with arresting, detaining, and deporting illegal immigrants, which DHS estimates at over $17,000 per individual, representing a 70% savings for taxpayers. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem emphasized that self-deportation is the safest and most cost-effective way for illegal immigrants to leave the country, avoiding arrest. The initiative utilizes the CBP Home app, which was revamped by the Trump administration to facilitate self-deportation. Those who use the app and demonstrate progress towards leaving the U.S. will be deprioritized for detention and removal. DHS has also partnered with 562 state and local law enforcement agencies, leading to over 1,100 arrests of dangerous criminal illegal aliens since January 20, and has trained over 5,000 officers to track down and arrest criminal illegal aliens. The program has sparked controversy, with critics arguing that it rewards illegal behavior with taxpayer money. However, DHS counters that the initiative will save significant amounts of money for taxpayers and aims to encourage illegal immigrants to leave the country voluntarily. The administration has also focused on deporting individuals with criminal convictions, including members of gangs like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, with nearly 300 gang members deported to a prison in El Salvador. In 2025 alone, DHS has arrested over 168,000 illegal aliens, including more than 600 members of Tren de Aragua, with 75% of these arrests being criminal illegal aliens.